As part of National Heritage Week, Knockelly Castle will open its gates for two guided tours on Monday, 19th August at 10:30am and 1:30pm.

Explore the story of this 15th-century tower house ruin, its intact bawn walls, and the restoration of the Gate House with its Georgian and Victorian layers. Led by Jeremy Emmet-Booth, the tour also includes a biodiversity walk through the surrounding meadows with ecologist Mieke Muyllaert.

Tickets are €5 and must be booked in advance. Spaces are limited.

We are delighted to launch our 2025 conservation workshop series, with “An introduction to restoring an older building” being held in March. Workshops will cover a range of traditional building skills this year, with courses geared towards both beginners and advanced practitioners. We will also offer an exciting series of environmental conservation workshops, with our first “painting with nature - exploring native Irish grasslands through botanical art” taking place in June.

Margaret Quinlan Architects, in association with David Kelly Partnership, led a thorough survey of Knockelly. The survey, kindly funded by National Monuments, included an assessment the archaeological and ecological aspects, generating detailed plans and virtual 3D models, as well as determining the current structural state of the built infrastructure and the steps necessary to preserve it. Results and conclusions are crucial in guiding future works. Use the link below to access the interactive 3D model of the tower house by Tír3D.

Gatehouse - South Façade

The gatehouse incorporates a medieval gatetower (the former entrance into the Bawn), an 18th century wing to the north and 1830’s additions to the West, giving the building its current Regency appearance. Work to the South façade commenced in early 2024, with the removal of a 1950's concrete porch, the replacement of oak lintels, the repair and re-pointing of masonry with a hot-mix lime mortar and the final instalment of new sash windows. Window reveals have yet to be finalised and the entire elevation requires rendering.